£400k budget, 2-3 hours from London - AIBU to ask where you would live?

[HensInTheSkirtingBoard]

DP and I currently live on the Surrey / London borders and want to move.

We have a budget of approx £400k (although could be stretched a little for the perfect place) and I will need to be in London for work, max once a week, so needs to be commutable within around 2.5 hours on the train.

Minimum 3 beds, good size garden for chickens, bees and veg (yes I know it's a cliche )

No new builds or 'executive' estates (sorry). Quirky is fine.

Would like to be within walking distance of a village at least (don't want to have to get in the car if we run out of milk) and ideally somewhere that has a bit of a 'community' feel - pub, cafe, etc.

No school-age kids so we don't need to worry about catchments.

Where would you move to in our situation?

I'd look at villages west of Lincoln. Lincoln is a lovely county town with a lot to recommend it. Good schools. Direct rail link from Newark Northgate to LKX takes about 1hr 40mins.

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/photos/51491855?search_identifier=d8a7fb0f83155da40840b8d798b845e3

I'm suffolk coast, pps are right, some people are right dicks about people moving here. Thankfully most are not!!!
It's a beautiful part of the world, I was out exploring parts yesterday thinking how lucky I am to live here.
The weather is generally fab too.
Houses are reasonably priced.
It is a lovely place to live.

I live in Peterborough and work in London. Using local buses and the fast train I can get door to door in about an hour 20. My office is near Kings Cross but I also know people living near me who work at the other end of London with no drama, it's still an OK commute.
What would add time to smaller fennish places is when the roads flood like now, and you have hundreds of people going one way on a back road adding an hour to your day. Same when the rail crossing is down. Can add time if you live in Whittlesey or Deeping for example.
Whittlesey has some large, well priced housing but it's got lots of older areas that need some tlc. Oundle is nice but quite sleepy, Oakham, Stamford or Elton are nicer but maybe out of budget.
We are looking at moving still within the city and with a budget around yours have been looking at 3 story 5 beds, (but new builds) so you would be able to find something around here.
As an example there are some good sized gardens on the outskirts:

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/100654772#/

Now that several people have backed me up about the attitude of locals towards newcomers, are you going to come back and apologise for frankly being so dam well rude to me for telling the truth OP?

So many brilliant ideas, thank you all.

Good advice about double-checking commuting times, partly why I've thought of Peterborough and surrounds as I know the Thameslink is pretty reliable. Work is very flexible thankfully but even so there will be some (rare) days when I do need to be somewhere for 9am (although I might take advantage of London friends' houses on those days!)

Interesting point @Oliversmumsarmy about addresses - I don't think that will be an issue for us - DP is a teacher so hopefully employable anywhere and I am moving towards self-employment anyway - but worth considering options in the future.

@Chuckleknuckles glad you're invested!

@mygenericusername

Now that several people have backed me up about the attitude of locals towards newcomers, are you going to come back and apologise for frankly being so dam well rude to me for telling the truth OP?

Oh bless you. No, I don't think I have anything to apologise for.

You made your point, now go and be weirdly aggressive somewhere else, there's a dear.

People have always moved around the UK even back when we were joined to mainland Europe by Doggerland 7000 years ago. Newcomers bring new blood to a place and although there will always have been some problems I don't think it should put any teacher's family moving location within the UK.

London to Exeter by train is only just over 2 hours so that might be another area to explore although somewhere near Peterborough is probably better particularly as there is the issue of opportunities for children and their schooling to consider too and when they are older being able to commute to London might be useful.

I am from NE England originally however and there is no better county than Northumberland in my view (however Newcastle to London by train is over 3 hours so does not meet the requirements).

Cheshire. Lots of villages and under 2 hours on the train

@Xenia I love Northumberland but yes, it's a bit of a stretch commute-wise!

Fwiw, I understand the 'incomers' argument. I know that some rural communities in particular have had big problems. My family and I are respectful and sensitive to that. I just don't appreciate being told that effectively an entire part of the country is off-limits to me because my great-great-great grandmother wasn't born there, and I definitely don't want rants about 'people who don't belong here' on my nice, cheerful, exciting thread!

As far as I'm aware this is still a free country and I am at liberty to live wherever I please (budget notwithstanding ). As I said at the top of the thread, MNers wisdom and experience is one thing - but telling people they won't be welcome in entire swathes of the country is another.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed in a useful and balanced way - DP and I have lots to think about!

Hens, I wasn't saying 'don't move to Suffolk". I was saying, if you do move, you'll still never be a 'local'. It's not that you won't be made welcome. It's just that you'll encounter people pissed off at the 50 acres of good arable land that have just been covered with houses.

I've lived here most of my life. I know loads of people, have a cracking social life - and I still wouldn't call myself a local. I don't have cousins and second cousins within two miles.

Depending on your schooling plans, being close to Cambridge (though not in it as it’s hideously expensive!) will give you some very good options, particularly if you are considering Private.

They've got no school age kids, CaveMum

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/96953897#/

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E20197&maxBedrooms=4&minBedrooms=2&radius=1.0&index=24&propertyTypes=&mustHave=&dontShow=&furnishTypes=&keywords=

Gamlingay/potton would suit, fast train from sandy into st Pancras/kings x 50 mins ish.

I know you weren't @GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman

I'm sure you would fit in anywhere and not have problems, it just needs a bit of effort and consideration, that's all! In villages near me there have been dark grumblings about Londoners, but that's been second home owners or renters during the pandemic, and some locals, particularly the elderly, have found their local shops cleaned out. As you're going to live and work I'm sure it won't be a problem!

Lichfield in Staffs.

I moved from Weybridge to Suffolk 15 years ago. The novelty of swapping a mid terrace house to a detached house with a driveway for less money still hasn’t worn off! I am also a teacher, love having a commute where I can move all the time and not just sit in traffic!

Conwy Old Road, Dwygyfylchi, Penmaenmawr, LL34
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-74504955.html

Two and a half hours from Euston ! x

Durham is amazing but 3 hr train journey into Kings Cross. Lots in your budget. www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-89107217.html

Thirsk, North York's.
Lincolnshire

To shorten the commute you would need a rural town with a station, rather than a city like York, given the requirements of your future home.

Norfolk, Suffolk or Cambridgeshire.

I saw a discussion thread about Littleport (in Cambridgeshire) as a potentially, a good place to live. I have spent my life here and am somewhat involved in local community activities. Littleport is on the main rail link Kings Lynn-Kings Cross, is 20 miles north of Cambridge and 5 miles north of the cathedral city of Ely. Many of our residents commute out. We are an expanding town currently with a population of around 10k residents. In 2017 Cambs CC invested in a new schools campus housing Littleport & East Cambs Academy (LECA), Littleport Highfields (a special educational needs school), a pre school and also a new Leisure Centre (Littleport Leisure). There are two existing primary schools and CCC are currently considering expanding primary education. We have day to day services & shopping, an excellent GP medical centre, and good access to other medical services. The recent University Boat Race (April2021) was staged between Queen Adelaide near Ely and Littleport on the River Great Ouse! New and existing housing is good value with plenty of choice. The Parish Council are currently developing areas of additional open green space and new community buildings are in the pipeline. All in all, there are worse places to live. If you are considering moving to the area, please visit and have a good look around. Happy to provide any other information.

I’m in Suffolk. Born here, never moved far. There is a well known chip on the shoulder here. And there has been a lot of incoming to new builds locals will never be able to afford on local wages BUT this doesn’t mean incomers are hated across the board. Its just a vibe in some places. Hell, I’m treated as an outsider because I didn’t go to the high school in my hometown. It is a beautiful, curious county and you would be welcome.

That said, was going to suggest Kelvedon. Coggeshall is probably out of your price range (family just sold their big standard four bedroom for over a million) but it’s a good area with easy access to bigger towns while being rural.

If Suffolk, I’d stick to near Bury or Ipswich for easier access to trains for the commute. The East Suffolk line does run trains to London but you’ll be looking at 2-3 hours with connections at Ipswich. And as a side note, unless you need Liverpool Street, it’s always much easier to get off at Stratford and hop on the underground.

@Almostslimjim

Manchester. Particularly Trafford/ Cheshire area.

You would be hard pressed to get a 3 bed with a good sized garden for your budget in South Trafford and the last time I looked at a peak time Manchester - London train fair the cost was eye watering.